The Best of What You're Missing

Finally, a good idea for a Best of 2005 list: Underrated CDs. npr polled a handful of music critic-types, including Alexandra Patsavas, who may have the best job in the world, namely Music Supervisor to nearly every TV show of the 00s and the genius behind the Music from The O.C. (Judging by her pic at npr, she is as easy on the eyes as her taste is on the ears.) We discovered The O.C. mixes almost by accident, since we don't watch the show (we've already watched the same material, thank you): the Garden State soundtrack CD couldn't use Alexi Murdoch's Orange Sky since The O.C. had already licensed the song, so we had to track down that first mix.

Patsavas's taste runs to indie music, which means that she will find the cheapest music licenses possible for your prime time soap opera, and she truly does have a golden gut. We suggest you listen to Callas's Collisions like the woman says. That is all.

UPDATE: Seems Slate's Jody Rosen did a similar list of overlooked CDs of 2005 last week as well.